Solar flares caused magnetic storms on Earth

Solar flares caused strong enough magnetic storm on the Earth on February 16.

Chief of the Sun and solar-terrestrial relationship Department of Shamakhi-based Tusi Astrophysical Observatory Namig Jalilov told APA that magnetic storm with high average power affected the people’s health. He said that magnetic storm lasted for 6-7 hours, then calmed down and now is quite calm: “Magnetic storm started on the night of February15 to 16 and lasted till the morning. This process stopped in the morning. Solar flares hit the Earth’s magnetic fields. This process didn’t lead to technical failures. However, people with heart failure, high blood pressure diseases felt it.”

Jalilov noted that such magnetic fluctuations occur frequently. According to him, Earth-directed solar disk has a large number of magnetic spots which lead to solar flare. Sometimes small flares also cause magnetic fluctuations: “Since the middle of last year, due to solar activity, the number of solar flares and intensity of magnetic storms are higher. This process will continue until summer this year and then will decrease slightly. From this period, solar activity will decrease from maximum to minimum. The last strong earthquake hit Baku in 2000, another happened recently. Both earthquakes occurred at the peak of solar activity and magnetic storms. Statistical indicators show that the strength of earthquakes occurring on the earth is directly related to solar activity. When solar activity is at its maximum, tides and earthquakes increase on the Earth.”